Separator assemblies can be used in a wide-variety of fluid systems, such as fluid lubrication systems, to separate and capture debris particles from fluid circulating through the system. One type of separator assembly, for example, is a cyclonic separator. A cyclonic separator assembly may generally include a circular cylindrical housing having a first or top end and a second or bottom end. The first end may be closed by an end wall and the second end may define an opening. An inlet for fluid may be located near the first end of the housing. The inlet can define a flow path that opens in a generally tangential direction within the housing. The separator assembly may also include a debris separation wall disposed within the housing. The debris separation wall may circumferentially extend around an inner surface of the housing and can define an annular collection region.
When fluid enters the housing via the inlet, the fluid can be directed in a cyclonic flow pattern as a result of gravity and the inlet being tangential to the circular cylindrical housing. As the fluid flows in a cyclonic motion down through the housing, debris particles may migrate radially outwardly within the fluid toward the inner surface of the housing due to centrifugal forces. As the fluid flows downwardly over the separation wall, the debris particles may be captured in the collection region of the separation wall. The fluid may then exit the housing through the opening in the second end.
A sensor may be provided near the collection region to detect accumulation of debris particles. The sensor may also provide a signal when the size of captured particles reaches a predetermined threshold. However, the accumulation of relatively smaller debris particles can build up and, over time, may exceed a saturation mass of the sensor. As a result, this may “blind” the sensor from detecting debris particles that are of particular interest.
Thus, although known separator assemblies may function in an acceptable manner, it would be desirable to provide an improved separator assembly having multiple separator stages to discretize particles of differing sizes and weights and to provide improved separation of debris particles.